Dixon



' (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. H. DIXON.

ORGAN. No. 448,508. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

Wif74886 jio eidior @QM/ZM (N9 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. H. DIXON.

ORGAN.

N0. 448,508. Patented Mar. 1'7, 1891.

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f Vifirnesses I fnrenior f /{M DA Q /M flwm (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. H. DIXON.

ORGAN. No. 448,508. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. H. DIXON.

ORGAN. No, 448,508. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

III

Wiffrcess 3 Men (or tires STATES PATENT rricn.

ALEXANDER ll. DIXON, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSTGNOR TO ANNIE DIXON, OE SAME PLACE.

ORGAN.

JLE ZGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,508, dated March 1'7, 1891.

Application filed October 23, 1890. Serial No. 369,059, (No model.)

To all whom 232; may concern:

Be it known that T, ALEXANDER HUTTON DIXON, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Organs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to arrange the action of an organ in such a manner that it may be instantaneously adjusted, so that the music may be transposed from a higher to a lower key or conversely without the exercise of any skill on the part of the performer; and it consists, essentially, in so supporting the action of the organ that it maybe instantaneouslyadjusted to bring a higher ora lower toned reed in connection with the key in which the piece is written by mechanism substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained, and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an organ provided with my transposing mechanism. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail showing screw mechanism arranged to adjust the action. l ig. at is a perspective view showing two alternative forms of mechanism for adjusting the organ-action.

In order to accomplish the object of my invention, the entire organ-action, except the keyboard, is made movable within its case. The bellows, reeds, dad, are connected to the wind-chest A, which is supported byfrictionrollers a, suitably journaled in the rails B, projecting below each key in a pin 0. These pins are of the usual kind and separated, as usual, from the bottom of the key D by a piece of felt or other soft material.

in Figs. fl, 2, and 3 I show proper mechanism for adjusting the organ-action.

E represents a spindle, which is screwed through a nut E, secured to the top of the wind-chest A. This spindle E extends through the side of the organ-casing G and has a crank-handle ll fixed to it, as indicated in Fig. 1.

I is a finger or pointer connected to the 'strip A, carrying the steps, which strip is connected to the front of the wind-chest, as indicated in Fig. 1. This pointer indicates the position of the organ-action by pointing on the index-plate J, which is iixed to the key board, as indicated.

K is an eccentric roller extending below the keys D. A crank L is fixed to the end of the eccentric roller K and is connected by the link ill to the lever N, which lever is pivoted at b and is held against the cam O by the action of the spring P. The cam O is fixed to the spindle In order to transpose the music from a higher to a lower key, or conversely, the cran khandle H is turned so as to revolve the spindle E. Owing to the connection of this spindle with the organ-action, already described, the whole action is moved a given distance by the revolving of the said spindle. The moment that the spindle E commences to revolve the cam O, which moves with it, acts upon the pivoted lever N, and, owing to the connection described between the leverN and eccentric roller K, the said eccentric roller is revolved so as to raise the keys D clear of the pins O, so that the said pins may move with the action without injury to themselves or to the felt on the bottoms of the keys. As the reeds of an organ are arranged in semitones, each pin O represents a semiton e. Consequently by adjusting the organ-action so as to move a pin O from one key to the key next to it the music will be raised or lowered a semitone.

The pointer I, in conjunction with the index-plate J, clearlyindicates to the performer the exact position of the action.

As before stated theessence of my invention consists in constructing the organ so that its entire action may be adjusted to alter the key. it therefore follows that the mechanism by which this effect is produced may be altered to suit the style of tee organ and the taste of the manufacturer.

In Fig. 4 I show two alternative forms of mechanism. In one of these forms a rope Q is substituted for the screwed spindle E. One end of this rope is connected to one end of the wind-chest A and the opposite end of the said rope is connected to the other end of the said wind-chest. in extending from one end of the chest to the other the rope Q is carried around the rollers R and wound upon the pulley S, which is fixed to the spin dle E. By revolving the spindle E the organ-action is moved in either direction, and the same effect is produced as when it is operated by the screwed spindle E.

Instead of the rope mechanism just described the same effect may be produced by placing a rack T on the bottom of the windchest A, .and meshing it with a pinion U, fixed toa spindle journaled in the casing of the organ. In both instances I use the same eccentric roller K for the purpose of raising the keys D.

In the mechanism shown in Fig. 4a doubleended lever is fixed to the eccentric roller K, one end of the lever being held byaspring P and the other end connected to arod V, which extends down and connects with a pivoted lever W, which is placed below and operated by the treadle X. Before turningthe spindle by which the organeaction-moving mechanism is operated the treadle X is pressed down, so as to turn the eccentric roller K with the iew of raising the keys D clear of the mute-pins (3,. Ida not show in the drawings the mutes or the reeds, as I do not claim anything particu: lar in their construction.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the object of my invention is very perfectly accomplished by extremely-simple mechanism, and that by my invention I produce an instrument by which an inexperienced performer is able to transpose music to any desired key.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An organ-action made movable in its case wherein the key-board is fixed and provided with mechanism arranged to adjust the organ action so as to bring a higher or lower toned reed in connection with a given key, in combination with mechanism arranged to raise the keys clear of the mute-pins during the movement of the organ-action, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The wind-chest to which the organ-action is connect-ed and friction-rollers arranged in rails to support the wind-chest, in combination with a spindle connected to the windrails B, and the screwed spindle E, j on rnaled in the casing G and screwed through the nut F, in combination with the eccentric roller K, arranged below the case D, crank L, link M, le-

ver N, cam O, and spring P, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, October 10, 1890.

ALEXANDER H. DIXON.

In p es f Q ABL G- ALDWIN, JOHN E. CAMERON. 

